The Lakers' Pau Gasol shoots against Robin Lopez (right) of the New Orleans Hornets at Staples Center on Tuesday. STEPHEN DUNN, GETTY IMAGES

LOS ANGELES – Whether the Lakers have a postseason run in them, they've at least given their fans some thrills against the going-nowhere New Orleans Hornets in this struggle of a season.

Kobe Bryant turned up his game in the fourth quarter Tuesday night to pull out another dicey situation against the Hornets, and the Lakers seized a 104-96 victory that means they are in the playoffs for sure if they win their final four regular-season games.

It was the Lakers' fourth victory in four attempts against New Orleans – their 11th consecutive victory overall against the Hornets, who are 27-51 this season – and was a decent sequel to the 108-102 thriller on March 6 in New Orleans. In that one, Bryant carried the Lakers back from 25 points down with timely defensive help from Dwight Howard.

The same formula worked Tuesday night, although Pau Gasol (22 points, 11 rebounds) deserves plenty of credit for big-time second-half tenacity after Hornets guard Eric Gordon was playing harder than all the Lakers in the first half.

Here was Bryant's line through three quarters: 2 for 7 from the field, seven points, four turnovers. Bryant in the fourth: 7 for 11, 23 points, one turnover.

Bryant admitted to fatigue, telling himself before that fourth: "I gotta go."

"You gotta do what you gotta do," Bryant said later.

With Utah's loss to Oklahoma City earlier Tuesday, the Lakers moved back ahead of the Jazz for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff berth – but they need a victory tonight in Portland to avoid falling behind again via the tiebreaker. The Lakers haven't swept a back-to-back set on consecutive days in 15 previous attempts this season, but the also-ran Trail Blazers – on an eight-game skid – are expected to miss injured Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews and maybe J.J. Hickson.

Howard got to sit out most of the fourth quarter Tuesday night as the Lakers rode Gasol and a smaller lineup for matchups, so the Lakers can be hopeful Howard will have more to give in Portland and Metta World Peace (knee) will bounce back from his first game in two weeks.

Gasol had a big game and Bryant spent several key moments trying to get Howard's post game going, and Bryant acknowledged afterward having an eye toward another game coming up in Portland and thinking:

"The more I can lay in the weeds, the better."

With World Peace back, Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni expanded from his limiting seven-man rotation again despite Steve Nash (hamstring) still being out. Bryant played 41 minutes – far fewer than he has been, but still a major workload – in a game that the Lakers led by three points with 3:34 to play.

"This year was supposed to be a light year for me," Bryant said afterward, smiling.

PEACE ON THE COURT

World Peace made his return to the court just 12 days after knee surgery, contributing four points in 15 minutes and looking well enough to give the Lakers hope they'll have him full strength if they qualify for the playoffs.

World Peace knew he could come back from meniscus surgery sooner than the six weeks the doctors were saying. How?

He Googled it.

World Peace, who had surgery March 28 for a torn meniscus in his left knee, relied on the Internet to jump-start his recovery.

"I had heard about the surgery, so I went online," he said before his return game Tuesday night. "(I looked up) what is the fastest comeback from a meniscus tear? I was thinking it would say four weeks. But then I read a week, and I'm a week type of guy."

World Peace said he got his information from another Internet user, not necessarily a reputable site.

"I don't care if it was reputable or not; it was documented," he said.

Once he read about the injury, World Peace said he was eager to get started on his rehabilitation.

The team – and trainers – were on the road and unavailable to assist in his recovery. That didn't deter World Peace.

"I called Gary (Vitti, trainer) and Judy (Seto, physical therapist) and asked them what I should do, and they said wait until we get back," World Peace said.

"I said, 'No, I'm not going to wait. Tell me what I can do now to be ready to play."

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